In home network environment it is normal that multiple communication systems attempt to use the same means of transmission, such as for example, over-the-air (wireless networks) or a low voltage electrical network (power-line networks). In these case, neighboring networks, i.e., those networks that are separate from one's own network and that use the same shared means, produce interference that reduces the amount of information transmitted per second (throughput) achievable by the network itself.
Currently, neighboring networks may share time and frequency of the channel, dividing the capacity of the channel between the neighboring networks. The method of the disclosure is based on a different concept: allowing networks to produce controlled interference in part of the channel, with which greater efficiency is achieved even when neighboring networks are simultaneously transmitting.
In the state of the art, there are multiple methods to share means that achieve more or less acceptable results, depending on the application.
One of these methods is that published in the IEEE article, “A coordination and bandwidth sharing method for multiple interfering neighbor networks” by Ayyagari, D. Wai-chung Chan presented at the Consumer Communications and Networking Conference in 2005, where a method to permit network coordination without needing to exchange messages is described.
On the other hand, Patent US 2007/0230497 titled “Method and apparatus to negotiate channel sharing in PLC network” discloses a method in which a predefined time zone is used so that border nodes exchange messages using time division multiple access (TDMA).
There are also methods to distribute the channel frequency or time between different systems to avoid interference. This is the case of patent US2007/064783 A1 titled “Transmission/Reception apparatus and transmission/reception method for enabling coexistence of systems”.